


Healing Over Time is Harder than it Seems

by Fidget_the_Crazy



Series: Time Centric Mayhem (‘cause that’s all I ever do) [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Complicated Platonic Relationships, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:29:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28898169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fidget_the_Crazy/pseuds/Fidget_the_Crazy
Summary: The group is working on the Ranch, and a certain blue fairy shows up on Time’s doorstep.
Relationships: Malon (Legend of Zelda)/Time (Linked Universe), Navi (Legend of Zelda) & Time (Linked Universe)
Series: Time Centric Mayhem (‘cause that’s all I ever do) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2119353
Comments: 6
Kudos: 59





	1. Wings of Blue

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, for any people that can read Nordic runes, I’m sorry, but it’s a fairy language now. Well, the alphabet is being used, but not the language itself. I apologize in advance, but apparently Google Docs doesn’t have any elvish dingbats or takes custom fonts from sites like Dafont.com. Oh well.

It was a relaxing day at the ranch. Well, as relaxing as working on the ranch was. Each of the nine heroes had their own task they were assigned by the woman, and wife of the eldest hero, who ran the ranch. 

The first signs of Time’s health plummeting was his headache. 

It first started out just a little nuisance that he could simply ignore as he worked on the fence, but soon became a throbbing pain, to the point where he couldn’t concentrate on his work. He stood up to go back to the barn to put away his tools but only fell back down as nausea overtook him. 

Twilight was nearby luckily. He ran over to the eldest hero to see if he was okay. 

“Old Man?” he knelt down beside Time. “Do you need any help?”

Time only tried to sit up only for a wave of dizziness to take over. Twilight steadied him as he asked again. 

“I could use some help standing up, thank you,” Time answered. They hobbled back to the house so they could see if Malon could help. They entered the house and found Legend cleaning off the table. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked. “Is farmwork getting to be too much for the old man’s back?”

“No,” Time answered, a little out of it. “Just dizzy.”

Twilight helped Time sit down at the table. “Watch over him please? I’m gonna go get Malon.”

“Sure thing, Rancher.” Twilight went out of the door looking for the woman in charge. Legend looked back to Time, whose head was resting on the table. 

“You don’t look too hot, old man.”

“I certainly don’t feel great.”

“Any reason you think your body decided to hate you?”

“Not at the moment. I do hope this passes quickly.” 

Not soon after, Malon and Twilight came into the room. 

“How do you feel, Sweetie?” Malon asked. No point in asking if he was okay judging by Twilight’s description and how he seemed to act at the moment. 

“I just had a wave of nausea overtake me,” Time said, raising his head a little and supporting it with his hands. “Nothing I haven’t handled before.” 

“You think you need a potion for this or do you think it will pass a bit sooner?”

“I think I’ll wait a moment, see if it goes away first.”

He let Malon get back to whatever she was doing, and let Legend keep him company, since his task was an inside job. 

Even through the tired banter he kept up with the veteran, the nausea didn’t pass. It seemed to get worse as time went on, even as he migrated from the table to the couch. He started feeling a small pain on his left side as well, as if he were sliced there. 

“Do you want me to go get Malon again?” The veteran asked, Time barely grasping onto coherence so he could tell what he was saying. 

“I…” he was just so out of it, he just wanted to sleep. He should tell her that it’s gotten worse, and that the pain in his side started to become more than just a pinprick. “Sure.”

Legend stopped dusting to go get her again. Time felt bad for being a burden, but he supposed that this was better than having to suffer alone someplace where he didn't have shelter. 

He probably did fall asleep because he felt a gentle hand massaging his shoulder. He felt a little bit better, but he was certain that if he got up now, he’d just face plant onto the floor. 

“Wanna try a potion this time?” Malon inquired. 

He really didn’t want to waste one on his health. But at the same time, his boys would probably not let him say no, let alone his wife. 

“Small doses,” he’d settle for that. 

The red potion helped get rid of some of the dizziness, enough that he could stand on his own, but he could only walk slowly. Legend made sure to stay close if he fell. The pain in his side was just a dull ache now, not the throbbing stab it was before. He knew he probably shouldn’t be out working in the state he was in, but he could get away with just going outside, right? Of course he was met with speculation. 

“You’re not working, Link.” Malon chided. 

“I know I’m not, I’m just going outside for fresh air.”

“Once you’re done, you’re coming right back.”

“Yes, Mavourneen.”

“I’ll take good care of him, Ma’am,” Legend teased. 

Once they were out the door and on the porch, they saw Hyrule running up to Time, cupping something in his hands. 

“Sir!” He called out. “I found this blue fairy near the little sugar bowls! I think she’s hurt!”

Blue fairy? Did he say _blue?_ _Navi? Is that-?_

Hyrule brought the little orb of dim blue light to Time’s face. Just by looking at the dimness of the light and the fact that he was in pain and dizzy, he could tell that something was horribly wrong. That has to be Navi. We’re both hurt, she’s blue,  _ what or who did this to you? _

“Old Man?” Legend? Concerned? Where was the  _ real _ Legend?

He couldn’t look away from the small fairy. She looked sick, and she has a little wound on her left side. 

He should have known. But who would have done this to his fairy?  _ Why _ would they do this?  _ How dare they hurt his fairy! Whoever did this was going to pay! _

“Link?” Someone’s voice was calling his name. It seemed familiar. Legend? An enemy? Wait, those aren’t his own hands holding Navi, those were someone else’s. 

“Give her back,” Time growled. 

Hyrule stepped back a bit. “Sir?” He squeaked. “Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?”

“Give. Her. Back. NOW.” 

“Link, calm down-” Legend tried to keep the eldest from snapping at his successor but only got that anger directed at himself. His wrist was grabbed and was squeezed hard. Why tell the old man to get a grip when he already  _ had  _ one!?

“IF YOU HURT HER I’LL MAKE SURE YOU NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY!!”

Hyrule was a lot farther than he was before. Time looked back to where he was and pounced. Well, he tried to. Legend tugged on the arm that was still keeping his wrist in a vice grip and held Time back. He’s never seen him so mad before! He yanked on the arm that Legend held and he got thrown off the porch. 

“Malon!” He called inside. “Your husband’s going feral out here!”

Hyrule was running away now. Legend didn’t have a sword, no weapons, why would he? This was supposed to be a safe haven, now the person and friend who lives here was attacking him! 

Luckily Warrior was nearby and heard Legend’s call for Malon. He always carried a knife with him at all times, due to either paranoia of traitors or just his training as a soldier, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that Legend was in danger, and…  _ Time was attacking him!? _

What the!- What the heck happened that would make Time get hostile towards an ally!? The two experienced adventurers were wrestling each other on the ground, using dirty tricks to get the upper hand. Malon just opened the door and saw what was happening. She looked just as surprised and Warrior felt. He rushed over, but hesitant to unsheathe his knife. He loved Time, and really didn’t want to hurt him, but he really should have unsheathed it the first chance he got. 

“Old Man!” He called. “What’s gotten into you!?”

Welp, that was a bad plan. Now Time was directing his unadulterated fury onto him. Well, better him than Legend who was unarmed and suffering from a gushing, bloody, possibly broken nose on the ground. 

“ᚷᛁᚡᛖ ᛗᛖ ᛒᚨᚲᚴ ᛗᚤ ᚠᚨᛁᚱᚤ!!!!”

Warrior unsheathed his knife, finally, and swiped at him. The strike landed across the man’s chest, and when Time looked back up to him… 

Oh Hylia, both eyes were open. 

Now he was being throttled by a mad man.

Malon and Legend tried to get Time’s hands off of Warrior’s neck, and after an agonizing moment, literally for Warrior, his hands were taken away. He gasped for breath, and suddenly Twilight was at his side, making sure he was okay, then rushing back into the house. 

Way to help your comrades,  _ country boy _ . 

Wild was also there, trying to subdue their unofficial leader, Four and Sky joining later. Why Sky was covered in feathers was beyond him. They were struggling to keep the raging man from tearing someone limb from limb. And he was screaming something, something that sounded like a foreign language. 

**_“ᛞᛟᚾ’ᛏ ᛏᚨᚴᛖ ᛗᚤ ᚠᚨᛁᚱᚤ ᚨᚹᚨᚤ!!!!!”_ **

Then Twilight and Wind came back out with their adventure pouches and swords.

Oh, never mind. 

One of the pouches being Time’s.

Frikken...

“Twilight, why did you have to bring all of them!?” Warrior yelled.

Twilight looked down at the pile he brought out that was slowly diminishing from the people taking their stuff from it, and realized that Time’s bag was indeed one of the things he brought out. 

Wind looked horrified. “I was panicking!!”

“Take it back inside! Make sure he doesn’t see it!” 

Wind grabbed the bag and went to go back inside, but sadly, Time was there first. He grabbed the boy’s hair and ripped the bag out of his hands, then threw him to the side like a discarded rag.

And he took out a mask. It had the same makings he had on his face, but on both sides, and its hair was white, and its eyes were empty. 

And Twilight looked like he was on the verge of screaming. 

Oh dear.

* * *

Hyrule was far away from the commotion, hiding behind the barn. He could hear Time shouting about them taking his fairy away. So this little fairy was his? Is this why he was acting so scary? He looked at the fairy in his hands and tried to see what was wrong with her. He saw the gash on her left side. 

“You need help,” he concluded. 

“ᛈᛚᛖᚨᛋᛖ…” she pleaded. It was a long time since he used the fae language, but he knew that she was saying  _ please.  _

“ᚠᚨᛁᚱᛁᛖᛋ ᚨᚱᛖ ᚲᛟᚾᚾᛖᚲᛏᛖᛞ ᛏᛟ ᛏᚺᛖᛁᚱ ᚴᛟᚴᛁᚱᛁ’ᛋ ᛚᛁᚡᛖᛋ. ᛁ ᚷᛟᛏ ᚺᚢᚱᛏ, ᚨᚾᛞ ᛚᛁᚾᚴ ᚷᛟᛏ ᚺᚢᚱᛏ ᚨᛋ ᚹᛖᛚᛚ ᛒᛖᚲᚨᚢᛋᛖ ᛟᚠ ᛗᛖ, ᛈᛚᛖᚨᛋᛖ, ᚤᛟᚢ ᚾᛖᛖᛞ ᛏᛟ ᚺᛖᚨᛚ ᛗᛖ ᛒᛖᚠᛟᚱᛖ ᚺᛖ ᚺᚢᚱᛏᛋ ᚺᛁᛗᛋᛖᛚᚠ ᛟᚱ ᛟᛏᚺᛖᚱᛋ, ᚤᛟᚢ ᚴᚾᛟᚹ ᚠᚨᛁᚱᚤ ᛗᚨᚷᛁᚲ, ᛈᛚᛖᚨᛋᛖ ᛏᚱᚤ...”

Okay, she was talking a little too fast, that was surprising if she was dizzy as he suspected. He did pick out  _ I got hurt  _ and  _ heal me. _

“ᛏᚨᛚᚴ…” He needed to brush up on his fae… “ᛏᚨᛚᚴ ᛋᛚᛟᚹᛖᚱ ᛈᛚᛖᚨᛋᛖ?”

She repeated what she said. 

So apparently Time’s life was connected to this fairy? What was a Kokiri? He was confused, but he wouldn’t let that get in the way. He needed to heal this poor fairy. He wasn’t familiar with helping fairies, heck, he should probably take her to a great fairy, since he was most likely not qualified. 

He looked back to the chaos and found Time raising a mask to his face. He could feel the power radiating all the way from here, and that did not give him a good feeling. 

He left his hiding place to go somewhere farther. He hoped that the others would subdue him and keep him at bay as long as they could so he could do what home could to help the creature in his hands. 

* * *

Twilight lunged at Time, trying to keep him from putting on the cursed mask. Time slapped him away and put it on. 

He screamed as the mask attached itself to his face. He grew in size, his hair turned white, and his eyes became completely white. The facial markings he had were also on the other side of his face, making him even more intimidating than he was before. They all waited for him to attack with a very powerful, lethal blow…

But he didn’t. 

Instead, he fell on his knees, doubled over and screamed even more. 

Was he in pain? He writhed on the ground as if there was another entity restraining him. 

“What do we do?” Wild fretted. “We can’t just leave him here!”

“What I want to know is what the heck that mask is!” Legend exclaimed. 

“It’s a fail safe,” Twilight answered. “He told me that it's dangerous and would consume him if he isn’t careful.”

“Oh Hylia, should we try and take it off?” Wind proposed. 

“No,” Malon said. “Maybe this will restrain him.”

**“No…”** Time’s voice was distorted, as if there were two people speaking at the same time. **“No…. promises…”**

His arm shot up to his jaw, likely to try and pry the mask fused to his face off, but his other arm grabbed it and restrained it. 

“ᛞᛟᚾ’ᛏ ᚴᛁᛚᛚ ᛗᚤ ᚠᚨᛁᚱᚤ!!! ᛈᛚᛖᚨᛋᛖ ᛞᛟᚾ’ᛏ ᚴᛁᛚᛚ ᚺᛖᚱ!!”

“I don’t plan to,” Someone said a ways away. 

Hyrule walked up slowly, a blue fairy cupped in his hands. “I did what I could to heal her.” 

_ “ᚹᚺᚤ ᚨᚱᛖᚾ’ᛏ ᚤᛟᚢ ᚺᛖᛚᛈᛁᚾᚷ ᚺᛖᚱ!!?!?” _

“I did! She’s right here! I healed her! At least I did what I could!” The traveler looked like he was on the verge of tears. “Please, don’t fight us!”

“ᛁᛏ’ᛋ ᛟᚴᚨᚤ, ᛚᛁᚾᚴ,” The little fairy spoke. “ᛁ’ᛗ ᚨᛚᛁᚡᛖ ᛏᚺᚨᚾᚴᛋ ᛏᛟ ᛏᚺᛁᛋ ᛒᛟᚤ. ᚤᛟᚢ’ᚱᛖ ᛟᚴᚨᚤ.” 

So he was speaking in fae. Twilight supposed that made sense. 

Time was still writhing, fighting whatever was invading his mind and body. 

**“Listen… to Navi...Link!”** The entity inside the mask commanded. 

His fighting back got worse. 

**_“ᛁ ᚺᚨᛏᛖ ᚤᛟᚢ!!!!!!”_ ** There were tears streaming down Time’s face now. 

“Please,” Malon begged. “Please listen to us! We don’t mean-“ She didn’t get far in her negotiations as Time decked her in the face. Twilight rushed to her side. She was going to have a black eye with how hard he hit her. 

“Look what you did!” Legend yelled. “You hurt your own wife! Congratulations!” 

Time was starting to tire. His fighting back was getting more calm. They watched as his temper tantrum subsided, and he just lay there, breathing heavily and tears still flowing down his cheeks. 

“ᛞᛟᚾ’ᛏ ᚺᚢᚱᛏ ᚾᚨᚡᛁ.... ᛈᛚᛖᚨᛋᛖ…” They could hear the delirious grief in his voice. 

He then suddenly sat up and stood. Warrior pointed his sword at him, scared that he would attack again. 

But Time just walked past him. He walked up the porch, and paused at the entrance. 

**“You’ll have to chain him down before he wakes up.”**

Then he went inside, ducking his head to avoid bumping his head on the door frame. 

They all breathed a heavy sigh of relief. They all went inside after making sure that Malon was okay. Hyrule put Navi, the fairy’s name, on a small pillow so she could rest. Healing her was a new experience, a bit hard since she was a magical creature that was more versed in magic than Hylians were, but he managed to close her wound. She was still a bit dizzy, but the fatal wound was taken care of. 

He also tried to heal Legend’s nose and Malon’s face, but the veteran insisted that he take positions and the healer work on Malon’s face and not fuss over him, and she would still have a black eye in the morning, even though some of it was healed. 

He felt woozy and knew it was time for him to stop healing. He could use some rest after this eventful day. The other heroes went back to their respective tasks they were assigned and tried to forget about what their father figure and leader had done. 


	2. Memories of Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, dumb chapter name, I know.

Time woke up screaming the next day. 

Malon went into the room to him thrashing underneath the covers. He broke through the rope they tied to his limbs, and he eventually fell off the bed, scrambling onto his hands and knees. 

Then he saw Malon. He saw the black eye that she had and realized that he was the one that gave it to her. 

His panicking stopped. He stayed still. Then he fell from his hands and knees and cried into his arms. 

He cried for his wife, for the sons he hurt. He could have killed Legend and Warrior if he wasn’t stopped. He could have killed any one of them if he wasn’t stopped. He was so delirious that he sought the help of that forsaken deity. The deity that marked him with a blue sword tip, two red arrows, and a blank eye. 

**_You still blame me for trying to protect you?_ **

He was so overrun with guilt that he became physically ill. He hurt the one person in the world who loves him, how could he ever trust himself not to hurt her again?

Malon cried for her husband. She didn’t think that this would be the way that they would find his fairy. Through a violent act wrought upon his companion and him wanting to mistakenly protect her. She didn’t blame him in the slightest, he was confused and delirious. He had found his fairy harmed and in the same state of hurt he felt. How could he not feel like he needed to protect her? He hadn't seen her for such a long time, she didn’t blame him for letting emotional instincts take over. 

Everyone was hurting that day, seeing their leader so broken. 

Legend tried to apologize for his harsh words the day before, but they went ignored. Time was just too wrapped up in his own sickening grief, upset that he let his Kokiri self hurt his beloved Mavourneen.

They let him grieve in silence. 

* * *

Navi fluttered into the room that Time locked himself in. 

“Link?” She asked. No answer. 

“Link? Will you talk to me?” No answer. 

“Please talk to me, Link.” No answer. 

“Are you angry with me?”

“Am I angry?” Time growled. Navi flinched. So he was. 

“I’m sorry I left.”

“Why did you even leave in the first place?” Time was looking at her now, both his eyes staring daggers into her.

“I was called back to the forest.”

“Called back to the forest.”

“I...” she couldn’t defend herself.

“You should have thought about that when Zelda sent me back. You were the one that abandoned me in that awful temple. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have found my way to termina looking for you! It was your fault that I felt so abandoned and alone! You just up and left me! I thought you saw me as a son, but apparently not! I thought you loved me! But you never did, did you!?” The tears were spilling over again. “If you really did love me, you never would have left.”

She sat in front of him, crying and mourning the poor little boy who grew up too fast in two lifetimes. He never should have suffered the way he did. She should have known that leaving him would have broken him even further. 

He was right. She should never have left. 

* * *

Everyone was worried for Time. He didn’t step out of his room at all ever since the incident and finding Navi. She told them how she was his guardian fairy, and that she left him too early on. That’s all they knew. Everything else was Time’s secrets to keep. 

Hyrule checked over the little fairy again to see if she was still hurting, which she wasn’t thankfully. He healed Malon and Legend more, and thanks to his magic and some healing salve, her face and his nose were doing okay. 

Some of the boys would occasionally check up on the poor man, but he never reacted to their words. It was as if he were catotonic, but awake at the same time. It was so very unnerving, seeing Time so hopelessly broken. However he did react when they tried to touch him. He’d always move away, looking in another direction, moving just out of reach. Luckily he was eating, if only a little bit. He never touched the food they gave him in their presence, but each time they checked up on him the next time, some would be whittled away.

**“They mean to help you.”**

Oh Hylia, why is the mask speaking to him again? He thought that it stopped talking to him forever ago! The one time he puts it back on it starts to convince him to put it on again!

**“I never tried to consume you like you think I would, I only want to help. I never meant you harm.”**

Possessing was never helping, and it’s never okay to take over someone's body and mind. That mask was the reason he had those forsaken facial markings to begin with. That cursed eye that he could see the truth with. While it did come in handy sometimes, he hated how it reminded him of the Deity. 

**“I take over to keep you safe.”**

Safe. Like he was ever safe to begin with. He suffered way too much to be “safe”. Ever since he got marked, he never felt safe again. He always felt the Deity’s presence. 

**“I marked you so I would know when to take action. I am sorry that you see me as a threat.”**

...Sorry? What was this? Some sort of way to trick him? 

“Don’t…” Time whispered. “Don’t talk to me…”

Silence.

He hated silence. A part of him felt sorry for driving something he could talk to away, but it was the Deity. That entity would only trick him, right?

Right?

...

Silence. 

Someone opened the door to his room. He didn’t bother to see who it was. 

“Time,” So it was Warrior talking. “You gotta stop this little self isolation you’re doing. Remember that we’re on a mission here, and you sulking isn’t gonna help us.”

Screw Hylia.

A sigh. “We’re been wondering when you’ll step out of this room. You’ve spent a disturbing amount of time to yourself, not really doing anything. Are you scared you’ll hurt us?”

Yes. He was. He didn’t want to hurt anyone else. If he could lose control so badly like that, then what else would come over him? He could kill one of them. It was best he didn’t ever come out of this room. 

“You can’t stay in this room forever you know,” Warrior stated. “You would need to leave someday, since not all your needs are here.”

That’s fine. It was better this way anyway. 

“You shouldn’t be suffering alone, either.”

Just go away, Warrior.

Warrior sat on the bed and just looked at him. “I’m not gonna leave you alone with yourself, Old Man.” So he stayed. Time still ignored him. Warrior knew that he shouldn't push anything, but something needed to be done. He reached out to touch Time's shoulder, but he flinched away before he even raised his hand. 

This was going to be very very difficult.

But he still stayed with him. He was a man of his word, after all. Time was suffering, and he wasn’t going to let him suffer alone. Even if it means having to drag him out of this room. 

...Actually, that didn’t sound so bad of an idea. Well, probably not the best idea at the moment. It’s only been two days. 

* * *

  
It’s been two more days since he checked up on him. And he still hasn’t come out of his self inflicted time-out. He was seldom speaking, but at least he was saying words now. He still refused to be touched.

Time to collect the… Time. 

Warrior opened the door to the room and quietly walked in. Navi was with him.

“I think it’s about time you stopped your self isolation.”

Once again, he says nothing.

“He’s right, Link,” Navi piped in, “you need to stop hurting yourself like this.”

Warrior sighed. “I know what it’s like to make a mistake that hurts everyone else. I don’t want the guilt to consume you. You should know better than to keep yourself away from everyone else. It’ll just hurt you, and them as well.”

Sniff.

“Come on, up ya get.” he gently grabbed his shoulder. Time tensed up and tried to pull away, but Warrior kept his grip firm. Navi grabbed his arm and started pulling. Warrior wrapped his arm around him and helped him up from the corner he was sitting in. He tried to protest, but he seemed too out of it to really get out of Warrior’s hold. 

"And we're busting you out of here!" He half lead half dragged Time out of the room, Navi helping as much as she could with pulling him along. He could probably use another one of the boy's help with this. 

"Just leave me alone…" Time whimpered. It was heart wrenching to hear something so desperate come from someone so strong.

"Nope. You don't deserve it." 

Oh boy, getting Time down the stairs in the state of noncompliance he's in is going to be difficult. Lucky Sky was walking up the stairs at the right moment. He looked surprised to see Warrior dragging an unwilling Time out of his bedroom. Why wouldn't he be? 

"Do you need any help there?" The skyloftian asked. 

"Yeah," Warrior said sardonically, "I think I do."

Sky came up to the head of the stairs and took Time's other side. He looked over to Warrior for a cue. Warrior took a step. So did Sky. They descended the stairs in this manner until they reached the first floor. Warrior looked over to Time and saw that his eyes were closed. He looked defeated. Or was he asleep? Knowing him, probably not. 

"So where are we taking him?" Sky asked. 

"I uh…" where  _ was _ he taking him? He didn't really have a destination in mind. "Let's go for the couch." That was always a safe choice. 

So they went and deposited their tired and limp leader on the couch, and Sky went upstairs after Warrior expressed his thanks.

“I’m still not leaving,” Warrior claimed. “And you’re not going back upstairs to mope anymore.” 

Time opened his eye. It was filled with tiredness, grief, self loathing. 

“Hey. don’t sell yourself short. You’re a tough guy. You’re the one that always seems to keep himself calm and collected most of the time. From how long I’ve known you, this is the first time I’ve ever seen you melt down like this before. If one of us was impaired and attacked the others without realizing, and then broke down, what would you do?”

Time moved so he wasn’t facing Warrior. 

“You know we sometimes call you ‘dad’ for a reason.” 

Sigh.

“i'd comfort them,” Time whispered quietly. 

“See? So you can’t blame me for wanting to help you.”

“I told you that these boys care about you,” Navi chimed in.

Sky came back down the stairs with his bug net. “I was going to catch some fairies, but it looks like that can wait.” 

Time tensed up. 

“Not the best time for that, Sky,” Warrior said gently.

“Sorry.”

“Is it not the best time to come in?” a timid voice piped up from the doorway.

Hyrule was peeking through the door. He looked so worried about intruding. 

“You don’t have to hide,” Sky said. “Come on in.”

Hyrule quietly opened the door and stepped in slowly. 

“I’m sorry that I set you off, sir,” he said. “I should not have taken her to you while injured and just try to heal her on my own.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Time said quietly. “i was the one that scared you.”

Hyrule was taken back at this. Time actually talked to him this time? He apologized to him before, but never got an answer. Maybe this was their chance to get him to stop self isolating. 

“I never meant for you to lash out though. It was my fault for getting you so riled up.”

“i could have killed you if Legend wasn’t there. i could have killed Legend if Warrior wasn’t there. i could have killed him if anyone else didn’t try to stop me.” 

“Hey now,” Warrior chided, “let’s not play the blame game. And I don’t think it’s smart to tiptoe around this like we have the past four days. We should know better than this.”

Malon stepped into the room to get something, only to find the four in the room already there.

“Looks like Warrior dragged you outta the dungeon,” she joked. 

Time stilled. He couldn’t face her. Not now. She looked healed, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her getting hurt by his hands again. Oh no. the tears were coming back.

“i’m so sorry,” Time gasped. 

“Don’t be. You weren’t thinkin’ straight.” 

“i hurt you!”

“I’m all better now. You didn’t mean to hurt me, did you?”

“...No…”

“Then don’t beat yourself up over this. I still love you. Nothing you do will ever get me to stop.”

“i doubt that..” Time whispered.

“Oh sweetie…” Malon went over to hug him. He didn’t react as she wrapped her arms around him.

The other boys were slowly filing out of the room, letting Time and Malon have some time alone. He sobbed for a long time after they all left. He knew that he shouldn’t be so weak, he knew that he shouldn't be behaving like this, crying like a child… he was a child wasn’t he? He felt like one, a child forced to grow up way too early, forced to become an adult. 

His wife rubbed his back, soothing him at least a little bit. She pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head and stroked his hair. He was calming down little by little, and she held him until his sobs were reduced to sniffs and relative calm. 

"You feelin' better?" she asked. He held her tighter. She smiled and rested her head on his. "I'm still here if you need me. I love you." 

"The fence is fixed up, anything else you want me to do?" Twilight poked his head into the room and asked quietly. He must have heard from the other boys that Time was out of his self inflicted prison. 

"Thank you for doin' that, sweetie," Malon thanked.

"i was supposed to do that," Time mumbled. 

"It's fine," Twilight assured, "I'm always happy to help." 

“You shouldn’t have to be cleaning up my messes.”

“I only want to help you. You’re always helping us, so is there a problem if we want to pay you back?

“Do i really matter that much?”

“Yes. Aren’t we supposed to be looking out for each other?”

“You’ve always mattered to all of us, Link,” Navi said. “Pelase, don’t let yourself suffer like this. I want you to be happy. I’m here, and I’m never leaving you again. I promise you.”

TIme didn’t say anything. 

She gently floated to his face and kissed his nose. Twilight inched closer, intending to give him a hug. Time didn’t move, so he went in for the hug. With both Malon and Twilight hugging him and Navi on his shoulder, he felt… safe again. With family. His family. He didn’t want this moment to end… but he didn’t deserve this. … no… he did. He wrapped his arms around his son and wife. He never wanted to let go of them again. They stayed like that for a long time. He didn't notice Wild, Wind, or Four come into the room while he held them. When Malon tried to pull away, he still kept his grip on them, not wanting to lose them. 

"I'm not leaving you, sweetie," Malon soothed. 

"We could take turns," Wind offered. 

"Yeah, It's my turn, Rancher!" Wild claimed. 

Four's eyes flashed red and made a bee-line for Time and hugged him. Navi had to make way for his arm and landed on Time's head. It was an action that was very unexpected to come from Four.

“We’re here for you, Old Man.”

“Welp, that’s our que to take over the hugs!” Wind dashed over and joined the hugfest, Wild tagging behind. Time just accepted his fate. He was reminded of how much he loved his boys. Yes, he could hurt them if he wasn’t careful, but he didn’t have to shut himself away over it, did he? Even the Mask he grew a distaste for wouldn’t hurt them. Navi came back and alive, healed by their Traveler. She was okay. And she wasn’t going to leave again. Right? She promised! 

He was safe. They were safe. It’s okay. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is the dialogue in order: 
> 
> Time: “GIVE ME BACK MY FAIRY!!!”
> 
> “DON'T TAKE MY FAIRY AWAY!!!!”
> 
> Navi: “Fairies are connected to their Kokiri’s lives. I got hurt, and Link got hurt as well because of me, please, you need to heal me before he hurts himself or others, you know fairy magic, please try...”
> 
> Hyrule: “Talk… talk slower please?”
> 
> Time: “Don’t kill my fairy!!! Please don’t kill her!!”
> 
> “WHY AREN’T YOU HELPING HER!!?!?”
> 
> Navi: “It’s okay, Link. I’m alive thanks to this boy. You’re okay.”
> 
> Time: “I HATE YOU!!!!!”
> 
> Don’t hurt Navi.... please…


End file.
